1Th_4:1 - 1Th_5:22. EXHORTATION. "concerning them which are falling asleep " (1Th_4:13-17).*
1Th_5:23-25. PRAYER.
1Th_5:26-28. EPISTOLARY. CONCLUSION.
THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.
INTRODUCTORY NOTES.
1. The Church of the Thessalonians was planted by Paul, in association with Silas and Timothy (Act_17:1Act_17:9). Although some of the Jews believed, it was composed mainly of Gentiles, and their joyful reception of the message as the word of God was the prelude to active missionary operations in all Achaia and Macedonia (1Th_1:8), a territory about as large as Great Britain. In this respect especially they were a model church. From them sounded forth "the word of the Lord", and they became examples to believers, showing the power of that word in their lives. The apostle writes in a joyful spirit, for he had just received from Timothy glad tidings of their faith and love (1Th_3:6).
2. A large part of the Epistle is occupied with the doctrine of the Lord''s coming, that coming which He Himself announced, Mat_24:36; Mat_25:31; Mat_26:64; et al ., the same coming of which He spoke in Act_1:7, "it is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power". The similarity of Paul''s language, concerning "the times and the seasons" (1Th_5:1), bears instruction for us. Indeed throughout the Epistle the nearness of that coming is emphasizes (1Th_1:10; 1Th_2:12, 1Th_2:19; 1Th_3:13; 1Th_4:131Th_4:18; 1Th_5:11Th_5:11, 1Th_5:23). But, as has been well observed, that which draws near may withdraw also, and such we know to be the case, for owing to His people''s rejection of the King and kingdom, the latter is in abeyance till the "times of the Gentiles" are ended. 1 and 2 Thessalonians are unique in many respects; e.g. chronologically , as well as canonically (see Appdx-180, 192); the use of special terms in relation to the coming ( parousia and epiphaneia ) of our Lord; for these see Notes. And they are the only Epistles addressed to a church specifically.
3. This Epistle is the earliest of the writings of Paul, having been sent out from Corinth about the end of 52 or the beginning of 53 A.D. Some hold that, of all the books of the New Testament, it was the first written.
4. Thessalonica, now Salonica, on the bay of the same name, has always been one of the busiest ports of the Aegean. It was the chief city of a division of Macedonia, and is said to have had a population of 200,000 at the beginning of our era. Much smaller now, the city has always had a large proportion of Jews among its inhabitants.